And george charles



(No Model.)

P. M. HOPKINS 8: G. O. BOWLES. BOOKGASE ATTACHMENT.

. No. 587,580. Patentd Aug. 3,1897.

[nu e M50235, T/orewoe fVf. Fa n/mm:

m: nouns mun c0. nmautua. wlsnmcmm n. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLORENCE M. HOPKINS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AND GEORGE CHARLES BOWLES, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEIY YORK.

BOOKCASE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 587,580, dated August 3, 1897.

Application filed February 10, 1897. Serial No. 622,787. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FLORENCE M. HOP- KINS, residing at Detroit, \Vayne county, Michigan, and GEORGE CHARLES BowLEs, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bookcase Attachments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In working libraries,where a large number of books are constantly removed from the shelves, difficulty is experienced in keeping the remaining books in their proper places. This difficulty arises from the fact that the position of each book is determined by the position of those adjoining it, and where the latter are removed it is left unsupported and frequently will not stand alone. A second difficulty is that in the classified arrangement of libraries books differing from each other in size and proportion are necessarily placed in juxtaposition, so that it is impossible to employ cases provided with separate compartments or pigeonholes for the books without either wasting a great deal of valuable space or constructing each case to fit the books to be placed therein. Moreover, as most libraries are constantly growing, this latter expedient would be useless, for with addition of each book a rearrangement is necessary.

It is the object of our invention to overcome these difficulties; and to this end the invention consists, first, in the means employed for holding the books individually, whereby they are normally held in fixed positions, but may be quickly shifted when nec essary either separately or in series.

The invention further consists in the peculiar construction of the individual holders; further, in the means employed for detachably hinging them to the shelf, and further in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a library-shelf provided with our attachment. Fig. 2 is a perspective View thereof. Fig. 3 is a crosssection through the shelf,

showing a modified construction of bookholder attached thereto.

A is a library-shelf.

B are individual book-holders arranged in series along the shelf, each holder being fitted to the particular book which it is designed to hold. These holders are secured to the shelf so as to be laterally adjustable thereon, preferably by providing each with a downwardly-projecting arm (1, engaging with a rod D,extending along the front edge of the shelf. The arms 0 also form hinge connections for the holders B, permitting the latter to be turned out from the shelf for the purpose of engaging 0r disengaging the books. The holders B are held normally in fixed position on the shelf by means of stops on the rod D, which prevent the arms 0 from moving laterally thereon. One of these stops E is fixed and is preferably formed by the bracket supporting the left end of the rod, while the other stop is adjustable, so that by shifting its position the holders may be moved laterally. The arms 0 are also preferably so secured to the rod that each may be attached or detached therefrom without disturbing the others.

Vith the device as so far described, in first arranging the books on the shelf each book is fitted with a holder, and they are then taken in their proper order and placed on the shelf, engaging the arms 0 with the rod D. V When the last book is in position, if, as is generally the case, the shelf is not completely filled, the stop E may be moved up against the arm 0 of the last book-holder and secured to the rod, thus serving to hold the whole series of holders from being moved laterally. To rearrange the books, supposing that new books are to be added, some of which are to be placed between those already on the shelf, the stop E may be loosened and the holders moved laterally to make room for the booksto be inserted. The latter are then provided with holders, which are engaged with the rod, and placed 011 the shelf, as before described.

Should the space required for the inserted books be more than that unoccupied on the shelf, the necessary number of books at the end of the shelf may be removed by disengaging their holders from the rod, and they ICQ may then be placed on a lower shelf. Thus the classification of the library may remain unchanged while new books are constantly added.

The holders B may be of any suitable construction adapted to hold the books in place on the shelves, and from which they may quickly be taken or replaced; but we preferably employ the construction shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, in which each holder coinprises an an gle-bracket having the back plate a, the side plate I), and the open eye 0, all preferably struck up from a single piece of sheet metal. The plate 1) forms a support for the side of the book, which is placed with its back against the plate a, while the eye 0 forms the arm 0 for connecting the holder to the rod D andis engaged therewith by springing the eye over the side of the rod. These holders may be made of varying width to fit books of different thicknesses; but in order that they may be quickly fitted to a book we preferably provide each with an adjustable extensionpiece (1, having the eye 6, telescoping with the eye 0, and the spring clamping-flange f at its upper end. To look the two members together when adjusted to different widths, one is provided with a series of notches g and the other member with a tongue h, adapted to engage with the notches. The member dis also preferably provided with the short side flange 7 while the back a is provided with the tongues j and 70, adapted to form a holder for the card having the number of thebook.

In Fig. 3 we show a modified way of attaching the holders to the shelf, in which the hook on the arms 0 of each holder passes but part way around the rod D and is supported when the holder is in its upright position by a second grooved rod F beneath the rod D.

lVith both of these constructions the holders may be turned down to disengage the books without becoming detached from the shelf. At the same time they may be readily disengaged from the rods when necessary.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. The combination with a library-shelf of a series of individual book-holders secured to said shelf and adapted to be adjusted laterally thereon, individually, or in series.

2. The combination with a library-shelf of a series of individual book-holders laterallyadj ustably and independently-detachably secured to said shelf.

3. The combination with a library-shelf of a series of individual book-holders laterallyadjustably and independently detachably hinged to said shelf.

a. The combination with a library-shelfhavinga rod extending in proximity to the front edge thereof, of a series of individual bookholders independently-detachably hinged to said rod and laterally adjustable thereon.

5. The combination with a library-shelf having a rod extending in proximity to the front edge thereof, of a series of individual bookhol'ders slidingly hinged upon said rod and independently attachable and detachable, a fixed stop at one end of said rod and an adj ustable stop, said stops together holding said holders normally in fixed positions.

6. The combination with a library-shelf having a rod extending in proximity to the front edge thereof, of a book-holder comprising an angle-bracket forming a side support and back for the book, an arm projecting downwardly or outwardly from said bracket forming an open eye adapted to be sprung over said rod.

7. A book holder comprising the anglebracket forming a side support and back for the book, an adjustable lateral extension for said back, and telescoping open spring-eyesformed at the lower end of said back and extension, for the purpose described.

8. A book 4 holder comprising an anglebracket having the back a, the side I) and the open eye 0 at the lower end of the back, struck up from a single piece of sheet metal, a lateral extension-piece d for the back having the eye 6 telescoping with the eye 0 and the flange fadapted to be sprung over the upper end of the book, and a lock for said extension comprising a lug or tongue on one member and adapted to engage with a series of notches in the other member.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FLORENCE M. HOPKINS. GEORGE CHARLES BOVVLES.

\Vitnesses to signature of Florence M. I-Iopkins:

M. B. ODoGHERrY, OTTO F. BARTHEL. Vitnesses to signature of George Charles Bowles:

JAMES C. MOAKLER, L. V. F. MILLER; 

